Power loss of mechanical equipment during winter or cold weather conditions is a common occurrence. Absent a component failure within the engine of the equipment, the problem can frequently be traced back to the effects of winter weather and cold environment on the fuel that is used to run the engine or on the fluids that are used to lubricate the engine. In the case of diesel engines, the problem is frequently found to be the formation of gel within the diesel fuel that restricts fuel flow through the fuel filter thus making diesel engines particularly difficult to start in cold weather.
For example, DF-2 diesel fuel begins to thicken as the ambient temperatures drop toward the freezing point of 32° Fahrenheit (F.), or 0° Celsius (C.). This thickening generally begins to be evident at about 40° F. or 4° C., but can vary between different fuels. The reason for this thickening is that many fuels, such as DF-2, contain waxes or paraffins that congeal at lower temperatures. As the fuel thickens, it also begins to “cloud.” This “clouding” is the direct result of the solidifying of the wax or paraffin that is present in the fuel.
The “cloud point” refers to the temperature at which diesel fuel begins to thicken and cloud. As the temperature continues to drop below the freezing point, the wax molecules combine to become solids in the fuel and eventually become large enough to be captured within the filtration media contained within the fuel filter. This is commonly known as the “gel point” or the “pour point” which refers to the temperature at which the fuel thickens further and will no longer pour. Some engines will fail to run at the cloud point, but all diesel engines will fail at the pour point. Usually, the cloud point and the pour point are about 20° F., or 10° C., apart, with the pour point being well below the cloud point at about 20° F. or about −7° C. At this low temperature, the wax will begin to form a flow-restrictive coating on the filter media which results in a loss of engine power. The fuel filter media becomes almost instantly coated with a restrictive layer of wax. Usually enough fuel can pass this layer to allow the engine to idle, but not enough fuel will pass to allow the engine to attain desired operating RPMs.
One way of overcoming the temporary problem of fuel filter freeze-up, and to thaw gelled fuel in the filter, is to open the fuel filter canister and add a commercially-available additive directly to the fuel filter. While this solves the problem, this solution also requires that the fuel filter be replaced. Accordingly, this solution is time-consuming, labor-intensive and relatively costly since it requires the user to purchase a supply of additive and to purchase a new fuel filter each time the additive is used.
Another way of overcoming the temporary problem of fuel filter freeze-up is to apply a direct, but improvised, heat source to the fuel filter and to the lines leading to and from the filter. For example, a small amount of fuel or other combustible contained within a wicked container can be placed in the vicinity of the fuel filter canister. Though effective, this is an obviously dangerous method of thawing the fuel filter and restoring the flow of fuel through the filter. An alternative to this suggestion is the equally-hazardous and oft-made suggestion that the trucker simply carry a propane torch for use in thawing frozen fuel lines and fuel filters during cold weather conditions.
Another application where thawing and/or heating is required is in the area of food products. For example, cans and other packages containing ready-to eat food products typically require removal of the food product from the can or packaging such that the food product can be heated. Other self-contained, individual meals that are provided in lightweight packaging for use in combat or other field conditions where organized food facilities are not available are more palatable if heated first prior to eating.
In the view of this inventor, what is needed is a substantially safer device that can be used to apply heat directly to the fuel filter of a diesel engine, as well as to other parts of machinery. What is also such a heating device that can be used without the need for the user to tap into any type of electrical connection or other secondary power source. That is, there is a need for the heating device to be both self-contained and self-heat-generating. What is also needed is such a heating device that utilizes and incorporates currently-available chemical heating technology as the heat source for the device. What is also needed is such a heating device that can be easily and removably applied to the fuel filter and to its inlet and outlet lines. What is also needed is such a heating device that can be used and re-used as desired or required. What is also needed are a number of variations of such a heating device that can also be attached to other components of mechanical equipment including oil pans, hydraulic fluid lines, and other like components.
What is also needed is such a heating device that can be adapted for use with cans and other packages containing ready-to eat food products. What is also needed is such a heating device that eliminates the need to remove the food product from the can or packaging for purposes of heating the food product. It would also be desirable to provide such a heating devise that can be adapted for heating other self-contained, individual meals that are provided in lightweight packaging for use by the military during combat conditions, by adventurous outdoor enthusiasts during hikes, camp-outs and the like, or in other civilian field conditions such as in disaster relief areas where organized food facilities are not available. Under any of those situations, the ready-to-eat meal is simply more palatable if heated first prior to eating.